When All Is Lost

Desperate and feverish, Corvin turned to the people surrounding him as he held Iris in his arms.

" Help," That was all he was able to muster, while he watched the people around him retreat, fearful. Why would they help? She just scorched the palace grounds and everything on it.

" Erendi," And old man spoke from the back of the crowd, along with a young man, who spoke the common tongue" Foregneir, " That's what that meant, the old man continued speaking," No one can help her. She has moved on from this plain. She now rests in the shade of the moonflower," She was dead. Corvin lowered himself to his knees, not quite ready to believe the old man, and placed her limp body on the ground to check for any sign that her heart was still beating. That there was still some hope left. After thoroughly checking her breathing and her heart, he realised that indeed she had moved on beyond his reach. Not that she had ever been in his reach. Nodding to himself he stood once more with Iris in his arms and began making his way on the scorched castle grounds. The news would spread quickly and he hoped that her deed as an envoy would suffice to hinder Arvun from setting foot on Hessian soil. For all they knew the Queen was still alive, and Hessia was still under her protectorate. That alone should make them think twice, hopefully.

Still a bit confused, he mindlessly made his way through the crowd, into the quadrant. Untied the first horse he came across, mounted with her in his arms, and left without even looking behind. After all, it was his fault they were in Oros in the first place. A fatal mistake on his part, and Iris had paid the price.

Grieving, he walked past the gated walls of Caral, unicumbered. Perhaps, they were afraid that he had abilities too and he would cause more chaos. Or they wanted to send a message as they have done many times. To whoever dared to set foot on their lands. A cautionary tale to be told to everyone. A messenger, heralding what happens to those who dare defy Arvun and Orians.

All had been in vain. She finally got what she wanted. Relief from a haunted past. Solace for her tormented soul.

The sun climbed up the ski and down, unnoticed, and so did the moon, and the stars. The scenery changed, several times before he was able to snap out of his trance. Shuddering, he finally came to his senses when Neith Gorge came into view.

It would have been a perfect burial ground, but she deserved better. Tugging on the horse's reigns bringing it to a halt Corvin jumped off his horse with Iris in his arms and made his way to the edge of the cliff.

In the last light of the day, he'd hoped that he would catch sight of the bird once more. One last time. He wasn't ready to say farewell to her, not even by far. One more day and he would reach Redkite. After that, he would have to finally let go. Let her go. He shook his head at that thought. He couldn't, nor wanted to if he had to be truthful to himself. He had to, nonetheless.

Kneeling on the ground, he placed her on the grass on a patch of starflowers and watched the river flowing at his feet akin to molten lava bathed in the last rays of the sunlight. A memory of her, admiring the view crept of him, and he was glad that he'd taken time to memorise her, the way she lost herself into herself, the way her eye glided, lingering over certain things that she found truly fascinating. He found her truly fascinating. Even though she let herself be dragged through the mud, she still found the strength to fight him, fight for those who were weaker, when she herself was crawling, struggling to stay afloat.

" You," He sighed. He had no words. Whatever he had to say, there was no one to say them to. She was gone. And it finally sunk in after two days of complete numbness where he couldn't quite comprehend nor accept that one moment her battle cries were all he could hear and the next, complete mayhem. And then in a blink of an eye, the flames swallowed the palace grounds and decimated everything in their path. He barely made it in the nick of time to escape their reach.

With a trembling hand, he brushed her pale lips, they felt cold to touch. He raised his eyes to glean at the sun one last time as it finally sunk into the still waters of the Erithian Sea. No trace of the bird he was hoping to see. A memory he shared with her and he hoped that in that moment when they lived it it imprinted on her just as it imprinted on him.

His blood was nothing more than shards of ice, cutting him from the inside with each heartbeat. He needed to keep going. He had to take her back to Redkite. He was the cause of it all. He was responsible for dragging her to Oros and ending her life.

Something he would have to carry with him for the rest of his days.

The heaviness in his heart outweighed Iris, as he pushed himself up and took one last look at the greying horizon.

It took everything he had to pick her up in his arms and mount the horse once more. He hadn't stopped since he left Caral. It took him less to journey back. He didn't know how long and he didn't care.

All had been in vain. All his efforts, her death. She was right. So many have died, pointlessly. A wasted sacrifice in the name...

He shook his head, nothing had been achieved as a result. He spurred the horse to go faster in the hopes that the sounds of hooves hitting the sludged soil would drown some of his thoughts, and chase away the guilt that was quickly unfurling within him.

Perhaps she knew her death would come to pass. And that's why she asked him to run. The moon rose, shining its silver light through the thin veil of grey clouds, lighting his path as small flickering lights appeared in the distance. Redkite. Still standing, thankfully. At least one thing remained unchanged. He'd changed over the course of three moons. Or better said she did. In her own way. He'd liked to think that it was for the better. Although, he would've wanted for her to see it as well. Perhaps she will see it from the great beyond where she went. She would look down on him just to smirk and call him troglodyte.